Online Recruitment Company ‘Hires’ Xero to Handle its Accounts Online

BlueGlue has revolutionised online recruitment with its entirely online outsourced service for IT and technology-related businesses.

Practicing what it preaches, BlueGlue now manages its entire business online, and this includes its accounts, using Xero. David Johnson, FD for BlueGlue, explains that this wasn’t possible until recently:

“We are an online company and as the FD for the business I have been looking for an online accounting solution for some time. None were suitable until I found Xero.”

The recruitment company is growing fast, and BlueGlue had already reached the stage where FD David Johnson needed an extra pair of hands to help with the accounts.

David realised the current PC-based MYOB software could no longer cope with the company’s accounting demands.

“I think that MYOB is good accounting software, however it is not set up for 2 (or more) users to access the system from different locations. I am not based in the office, but the bookkeeper for BlueGlue is, and that was about to become a serious problem, as we risked losing control of the accounts. I knew that the solution was to have an online accounting system, so that both the bookkeeper and I (and anyone else that needed to) could access the SAME accounting information from anywhere. So I started to do some research.”

David spent time investigating different solutions, and online accounting software. He was unimpressed with the options available, until he saw Xero mentioned in an online Forum (where it was actually referenced by a competitor!). David looked up the Xero website, and immediately took the online demo of Xero for a closer look. Even though at the time Xero was only available in New Zealand, David read that a UK version was being developed, and fired off an email to the company straight away. David was one of the first users in the UK of Xero and is very impressed with what it can do.

“The main issue I found when looking for suitable accounting software was that it was either too complex for the bookkeeper or manager, who are not accounting experts, or not complex enough for the accountant. As an accountant myself, I want to be able to get detail and export data to Excel to manipulate it how I want to. But at the same time, I also want the system to be extremely easy to use for sending out invoices or reconciling bank accounts; and I want my fellow directors to be able to access management information directly. Xero was the only online accounting software I found that got the difficult balance right, for being both easy for users, and comprehensive enough for accountants.”

David explains that while BlueGlue is a small business now, employing only 15 people, it is already working from 3 different locations, and has ongoing plans to grow. This is why when David was looking for an accounting solution, it needed to support the business both now, while it was small, and as it got bigger.

“Using Xero, I can now access and input all the accounting data and information I need to, away from the office. The bookkeeper in the office is able to manage the day to day transactions, and the MD can look up at any time where his business is. It has been the Dashboard access, and presentation of the cash flow, in Xero that has impressed the MD the most. Before, from MYOB, I would produce aged debtors reports that were dismissed by the MD as “too complicated” to look at. Now he can instantly see, in easy to view graphs and charts, exactly where the business is in terms of who owes the company money, and run simple P&L reports and monthly comparisons. What’s even better is that I don’t now get asked for all the financial information – the MD just looks it up in Xero when he wants to know!”

David describes why Xero works so well for BlueGlue:

“It is BlueGlue policy to run our entire business online, and now that we are using Xero for our accounts, this is true. Running our accounts online saves us money, it increases our control, access is easy, and there is guaranteed security. We get one version of the truth to work from in terms of our financial position, and know that it is backed-up every day. The best thing for me with Xero is that there is now easy access to management level information that I don’t have to take the time to prepare!”

About BlueGlue

BlueGlue provides an Outsourced Recruitment Service for organisations in the technology sector, that provides a partnership-based, low risk approach to recruitment, delivering high quality personnel at significantly lower costs than traditional approaches.

Offering a totally online service to recruiters, BlueGlue have revolutionised the hiring process for technology-based enterprises.

David Johnson has over 15 years of experience of working with high growth technology companies. He is a qualified accountant and very experienced in the role of Financial Director.

Xero is the world’s easiest online accounting software, which has been designed specifically for small businesses and their accountants. Xero is accessible from any internet-connected computer. Xero runs on PCs and Apple Macs, using Internet Explorer, Firefox and for Mac users, Safari.

Xero provides small businesses and their advisers with an up-to-date, easy to use, instantly accessible set of accounts and business information.

Xero costs just £29 + VAT per month for one company, and £15 + VAT per month for any additional companies. Xero is free to accountants – as they access Xero as an adviser in their clients’ accounts. The number of users and advisers for each Xero account is unlimited.